Kazakhstan, US deepen investment ties at Astana business roundtable

Government officials, business leaders, international corporations, financial institutions and policy experts from Kazakhstan and the United States gathered in Astana for the "Republic of Kazakhstan – United States of America" Business Roundtable, aimed at advancing bilateral economic and investment cooperation.

The event focused on a new phase of Kazakhstan-US economic relations, emphasizing investment, technology transfer, joint manufacturing projects, and the expansion of trade, economic and investment ties, Kazakh Foreign Ministry reports.

Opening remarks were delivered by Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin, Presidential Representative for Negotiations with the United States Erzhan Kazykhan, US Deputy Chief of Mission Deborah Robinson, US Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President Khush Choksy, and other senior participants.

Addressing the forum, Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Kuantyrov said more than 600 US companies are operating successfully in Kazakhstan, with total American investment exceeding $100 billion.

"Kazakhstan has substantial potential for developing high value-added industries, ranging from petrochemicals and metallurgy to mechanical engineering and agricultural processing. Today, we are creating new opportunities for production localization and the development of modern industrial clusters geared both to the domestic market and exports," Kuantyrov said.

He highlighted investment projects involving major US companies, including Chevron, ExxonMobil, PepsiCo, Mars and Cove Capital, while describing the Firebird–NVIDIA partnership as particularly promising.

Participants also discussed cooperation in energy, transport and logistics, digital transformation, infrastructure, finance and innovation.

A key outcome of the roundtable was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Partnership between Kazakhstan's Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs and the US–Kazakhstan Business Council of the US Chamber of Commerce. The agreement aims to strengthen direct business engagement, promote joint investment projects and expand institutional cooperation.

On the sidelines of the event, Kuantyrov met separately with a US Trade Mission delegation to discuss further steps to deepen bilateral investment and trade.

"Twenty-five years ago, around 75 percent of foreign direct investment was concentrated in the oil, gas and metallurgical sectors. Today, their combined share has declined to about 35 percent, demonstrating the profound diversification of Kazakhstan's economy," he said, noting that several of the country's most successful high value-added investments are being implemented in partnership with American companies.

By Vafa Guliyeva